Friday morning at around 4a.m. while his daughter dozed somewhat fitfully on the couch next to him having been up to provide medicines and words of comfort and love multiple times during this night and many nights before, Donald Riddle died as peacefully as he could given the days of pain and wasting away that had been his life for these past few weeks and months.
The breath we had been holding for so many days is now released with grief and loss, but also with relief and peace. With a sigh too deep for words, we breathe again as we put one foot in front of another into the new reality in which we now live. But we know we walk with arms of support around us, prayers of strength and concern, love and comfort. We thank all you who have held us in your hearts as we made this journey with La Donna’s dad. And we embrace God’s gift of death in this life as a end to suffering, and we praise God for memories that even now rise up in our hearts and minds and speak of a life well lived, well connected, well loved.
We will celebrate his life in many ways. There will be a funeral service in South Bend on Tuesday morning at 10:30a.m., visitation at St. Joseph Funeral Home on Mayflower Road, in South Bend from 2 to 8p.m. But for most of you reading this, instead of a long winter’s journey, the best way to offer condolence is through the website set up by St Joseph’s. Simply go to http://www.sjfh.net and click on his name, Donald Riddle. There you can read the obituary that La Donna wrote and sign the guestbook if you so desire.
Most of you reading this didn’t know Don, I realize that. And some have heard me speak of him, the man he was, the family he helped to shape, the life he led. I say without equivocation that he was a man of faith. He was not demonstrative in the least about that faith, rarely spoke of matters of theology or ritual, especially with his Pastor Son-in-law. There were a few occasions over our many decades together that he would quiz me on some theological issue or church historical event or, and this is what puzzled him most, ask my opinion about the behavior of people who claimed faith. Most of the time I had to join him in a shrug of the shoulders or wide-eyed shake of the head as we examined how allegiance to Christ is lived out in some quarters.
I treasured those conversations, as rare as they were. Because they invited me into the mind of a man who lived deeply, observed widely, considered profoundly, but most importantly who lived boldly. By that I don’t mean that he was loud or brash or coveted attention, by no means. If anything he was the opposite of that. He was a quiet man, who lived his convictions more than he declared them. And in so doing redefined for me what it means to be a prophet of God.
He would shy away from the designation, I have no doubt. But someone who lives as an example of obedience and service, who puts caring for neighbor above self, who remains faithful to his covenants, abides by his own word, he is an example of the prophet raised up in our midst. At least that is what comes to my mind as I ponder our words from Deuteronomy for this week.
We are concluding our series on Call with a reminder from the Old Testament that God will take care of making sure the Word is heard. And it just might be from a surprising source. Take a look:
Deuteronomy 18:15-20 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. 16 This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." 17 Then the LORD replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. 19 Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. 20 But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak-- that prophet shall die."
We tend to focus on the hard stuff. There is a high calling to the role of the prophet, there is appropriate warning that such a calling be not taken lightly. There is danger and threat and life and death wrapped up in here. That is important to acknowledge. We are often far too casual about these faith issues, as if they were only trivial matters like what to have for lunch or what to wear on a Wednesday, instead of the deep issues of value and purpose, of meaning and eternity. So, be reminded, pay attention to how you speak and how you live.
But for me, in this moment, this is less a warning and more a comfort, or a promise. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet. What a blessing. What a promise, to know that there will be those who will speak for God, who will represent that Presence in a tangible way. And even better “I will raise up a prophet ... from among their own people.”
One of us, could be you, could be him or her, could be me. And maybe it is all of us in turn. It isn’t really clear whether this raising up is for an office or for an event. We tend to think of a prophet as a career choice. Do you want to be an engineer or a dancer? Well, no, I was hoping to become a prophet, do you know a good college that has a prophetic track?
Sounds a bit silly, I know. And yet when we envision a prophet what comes to mind is someone who signs up for the long haul, who joins the union, wears the name tag. But maybe the promise here in Deuteronomy is that when a word of God is needed, there will be someone who can speak it. When the community is struggling for direction or decision, God will put it in the heart of someone from among us to speak that divine word. Maybe it is a role we can all play in turn.
What it takes is a willingness to be used by God. It also takes a life of dedication to that Word, we study, we listen, we contemplate, we become familiar with the Word that God has spoken so that when God speaks to us and through us, we can recognize it. We can speak it and know that we bring a Word in season, know that we speak with authority.
Or do we? Maybe we don’t know that we are filling that role. Maybe we just speak a word that seems right to us, never realizing that is more than just our word, it is the Word. Maybe when God raises up a prophet, everyone knows who it is but the one raised up. And maybe we don’t even speak that Word, but simply - or profoundly - live it out in front of any who pay attention.
That’s what this passage is about too, paying attention. God says we are held accountable. For hearing and not doing, for doing and not hearing, but also for hearing and doing. And if we want, and most of us do, want our lives to count, there is no better way.
Though I don’t think I ever said it in words, I loved my father-in-law. And I will take his example to heart, and speak with my life more than just my words. Let us rise up to life shaped by the Word, colored by love of God and family and neighbor. Rise up.
Shalom,
Derek
The breath we had been holding for so many days is now released with grief and loss, but also with relief and peace. With a sigh too deep for words, we breathe again as we put one foot in front of another into the new reality in which we now live. But we know we walk with arms of support around us, prayers of strength and concern, love and comfort. We thank all you who have held us in your hearts as we made this journey with La Donna’s dad. And we embrace God’s gift of death in this life as a end to suffering, and we praise God for memories that even now rise up in our hearts and minds and speak of a life well lived, well connected, well loved.
We will celebrate his life in many ways. There will be a funeral service in South Bend on Tuesday morning at 10:30a.m., visitation at St. Joseph Funeral Home on Mayflower Road, in South Bend from 2 to 8p.m. But for most of you reading this, instead of a long winter’s journey, the best way to offer condolence is through the website set up by St Joseph’s. Simply go to http://www.sjfh.net and click on his name, Donald Riddle. There you can read the obituary that La Donna wrote and sign the guestbook if you so desire.
Most of you reading this didn’t know Don, I realize that. And some have heard me speak of him, the man he was, the family he helped to shape, the life he led. I say without equivocation that he was a man of faith. He was not demonstrative in the least about that faith, rarely spoke of matters of theology or ritual, especially with his Pastor Son-in-law. There were a few occasions over our many decades together that he would quiz me on some theological issue or church historical event or, and this is what puzzled him most, ask my opinion about the behavior of people who claimed faith. Most of the time I had to join him in a shrug of the shoulders or wide-eyed shake of the head as we examined how allegiance to Christ is lived out in some quarters.
I treasured those conversations, as rare as they were. Because they invited me into the mind of a man who lived deeply, observed widely, considered profoundly, but most importantly who lived boldly. By that I don’t mean that he was loud or brash or coveted attention, by no means. If anything he was the opposite of that. He was a quiet man, who lived his convictions more than he declared them. And in so doing redefined for me what it means to be a prophet of God.
He would shy away from the designation, I have no doubt. But someone who lives as an example of obedience and service, who puts caring for neighbor above self, who remains faithful to his covenants, abides by his own word, he is an example of the prophet raised up in our midst. At least that is what comes to my mind as I ponder our words from Deuteronomy for this week.
We are concluding our series on Call with a reminder from the Old Testament that God will take care of making sure the Word is heard. And it just might be from a surprising source. Take a look:
Deuteronomy 18:15-20 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. 16 This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." 17 Then the LORD replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. 19 Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. 20 But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak-- that prophet shall die."
We tend to focus on the hard stuff. There is a high calling to the role of the prophet, there is appropriate warning that such a calling be not taken lightly. There is danger and threat and life and death wrapped up in here. That is important to acknowledge. We are often far too casual about these faith issues, as if they were only trivial matters like what to have for lunch or what to wear on a Wednesday, instead of the deep issues of value and purpose, of meaning and eternity. So, be reminded, pay attention to how you speak and how you live.
But for me, in this moment, this is less a warning and more a comfort, or a promise. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet. What a blessing. What a promise, to know that there will be those who will speak for God, who will represent that Presence in a tangible way. And even better “I will raise up a prophet ... from among their own people.”
One of us, could be you, could be him or her, could be me. And maybe it is all of us in turn. It isn’t really clear whether this raising up is for an office or for an event. We tend to think of a prophet as a career choice. Do you want to be an engineer or a dancer? Well, no, I was hoping to become a prophet, do you know a good college that has a prophetic track?
Sounds a bit silly, I know. And yet when we envision a prophet what comes to mind is someone who signs up for the long haul, who joins the union, wears the name tag. But maybe the promise here in Deuteronomy is that when a word of God is needed, there will be someone who can speak it. When the community is struggling for direction or decision, God will put it in the heart of someone from among us to speak that divine word. Maybe it is a role we can all play in turn.
What it takes is a willingness to be used by God. It also takes a life of dedication to that Word, we study, we listen, we contemplate, we become familiar with the Word that God has spoken so that when God speaks to us and through us, we can recognize it. We can speak it and know that we bring a Word in season, know that we speak with authority.
Or do we? Maybe we don’t know that we are filling that role. Maybe we just speak a word that seems right to us, never realizing that is more than just our word, it is the Word. Maybe when God raises up a prophet, everyone knows who it is but the one raised up. And maybe we don’t even speak that Word, but simply - or profoundly - live it out in front of any who pay attention.
That’s what this passage is about too, paying attention. God says we are held accountable. For hearing and not doing, for doing and not hearing, but also for hearing and doing. And if we want, and most of us do, want our lives to count, there is no better way.
Though I don’t think I ever said it in words, I loved my father-in-law. And I will take his example to heart, and speak with my life more than just my words. Let us rise up to life shaped by the Word, colored by love of God and family and neighbor. Rise up.
Shalom,
Derek
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